GAME BLOG: Utah 31, Alabama 17

Final - Utah 31, Alabama 17

This was the biggest game in Utah football history, and the Utes didn't disappoint. Utah scored the first 21 points of the game as they defeated Alabama 31-17 to become Sugar Bowl Champions and the only undefeated team left. The 3 first quarter touchdowns the Utes scored were against a team that had only allowed 3 1st quarter touchdowns all season long.

The Utah defense was magnificent, sacking John Parker Wilson 8 times and forcing 3 turnovers (2 INT, 1 fumble). Utah contained Alabama's high powered running attack to just 31 yards. Stevenson Sylvester is the player of the game with 3 sacks, 7 tackles and 1 fumble recovery.

The offense was nearly perfect in its execution as well. Brian Johnson threw for 336 yards and 3 TDs, a performance that won him the MVP of the game. Freddie Brown caught 12 catches for 125 yards.

Congratulations to the University of Utah, Sugar Bowl Champions! This is the most impressive win for all the teams in the state of Utah. Utah is the only undefeated left in college football with a perfect record of 13-0. Utah has also won a nation best 8 straight bowl games.

1:50 4th Quarter
Utah runs the hook and ladder on 3rd and 6 to perfection, as Jereme Brooks catches the pass and pitches to Brent Casteel for a first down. Added on to the play was a 15 yard personal foul late hit, and now the Utes have it on the Tide 12 yard line. Utah runs the next 3 plays for a gain of 1 total yard, but taking valuable seconds off the clock. Louie Sakoda's 28 yard field goal attempt is good, and the Utes have a 2 touchdown lead with under 3 minutes to play.

On Alabama's first play of the drive, Stevenson Sylvester sacks John Parker Wilson, Utah's 8th sack of the game. On 3rd and long, Wilson's hail mary is intercepted by Robert Johnson, his 2nd pick of the game. Johnson is injured on the play but hangs on to the ball for the interception. Utah can now kneel the ball and run out the clock.

Score: Utah 31, Alabama 17

5:13 4th Quarter
Mike Wright nearly intercepts the ball on 3rd and 3 on a short pass to Glen Coffee on the flat, and the Tide are forced to punt. Utah is continuing to make big plays to control this game. Utah will have the ball on their own 40 yard line with a little under 10 minutes to play in the game.

After a 10 yard pass to Freddie Brown, Matt Asiata runs it 3 straight plays for 12 yards. The 4th run in a row by Asiata is called back for holding. Johnson is called for intentional grounding on 3rd down and Utah is forced to punt. Alabama will have the ball on their own 31 yard line following a 15 yard kick catch interference penalty.

On the 2nd play of the drive, Alabama QB John Parker Wilson is hit by Sean Smith, causing a fumble and Stevenson Sylvester recovers for the Utes. Utah has the ball on the Tide 42 yard line with 5 minutes to go. Look for a steady does of Matt Asiata over the next few plays.

Score: Utah 28, Alabama 17

10:58 4th Quarter
Stevenson Sylvester comes up with a sack on John Parker Wilson, forcing an Alabama punt. That is the 6th sack for the Utes so far. A great punt by P.J. Fitzgerald pins the Utes deep on their own 1 yard line.

Downtown Freddie Brown comes up with a big catch, giving the Utes a first down deep in their own territory. Alabama's defense holds on the next 3 plays and forces a Louie Sakoda punt. Sakoda's punt goes 61 yards with no return.

Score: Utah 28, Alabama 17

1:46 3rd Quarter
Utah is able to move into Alabama on passes to Jereme Brooks and Bradon Godfrey, but the drive stalls and Sakoda is forced to punt. Alabama will take over on their own 20 yard line.

Score: Utah 28, Alabama 17

4:21 3rd Quarter
Big play by for the Utes as Johnson completes a pass to Freddie Brown for what appeared to be a short gain, but Brown broke 2 tackles and takes it 30 yards into Alabama territory. On 3rd and 10, Johnson completes a nice pass to Godfrey over the middle for 10 and a first down. Facing another 3rd and 10, David Reed takes a pass from Johnson 18 yards for the touchdown. Reed broke a tackle that would have forced a 4th down. Great play by David Reed.

Alabama gets a free first down via a pass interference call on a critical 3rd and 5. RB Glen Coffee appeared to be injured on the play. The Tide now have the ball on Utah's 40 yard line. Utah's defense holds the Tide to a 49 yard field goal attempt, but kicker Leigh Tiffin pushes the kick wide left again. He is now 1 for 3 on the night.

Score: Utah 28, Alabama 17

11:41 3rd Quarter
After enforcing the penalty from the 1st half, Alabama had to kick off from their own 15 yard line. Brent Casteel returned the kick to the Utah 45 yard line, setting up great field position for the Utes. However, on the very first play, Johnson fumbles the ball and it is recovered by Alabama LB Dont'a Hightower, and now Alabama has the ball with great field position in Utah territory.

After scoring the game's first 21 points, Alabama has scored 17 straight and have all the momentum. Alabama is simply overpowering the Utes right now. Alabama goes 30 yards in 7 plays, scoring on a playaction pass from Wilson to Glen Coffee.

Score: Utah 21, Alabama 17

Halftime- Utah 21, Alabama 10

The Utah Utes came out on fire, ready to show the world that they belong in the BCS, scoring 21 points in the first quarter against a team that had only allowed 3 first quarter touchdown this entire season (2 LSU, 1 Florida). Alabama has also only trailed once at halftime (10-17 Florida).

Utah QB Brian Johnson has completed 15 of 22 passes for 181 yards and 2 TDs. Freddie Brown has been Johnson's favorite target, catching 7 passes for 54 yards. The rushing attack for the Utes has been minimal as they only have 19 yards of rushing so far. Utah's defense has played very well, sacking John Parker Wilson 4 times.

The bright side for Alabama would be in the punt return game, as Javier Arenas returned a punt 73 yards for the Tide's only touchdown of the first half. RB Glen Coffee has 8 carries for 24 yards and WR Julio Jones has caught 4 passes for 58 yards for the Tide.

Utah should continue to run the no huddle offense in the 2nd half. The 5-wide receiver set was the most effective for the Utes. Defensively, Utah will need to continue to put pressure on Wilson and force him to make plays. I like the aggressiveness of Utah's defense so far. Let's see if it continues in the 2nd half.

Injury update: Alabama LT Mike Johnson has an ankle injury and has had x-rays taken in the locker room. It is doubtful he will return to the game.

End of 2nd Quarter
Utah goes 3 and out on the possession. Utah's defense must be getting fatigued as Alabama has controlled the ball for most of the 2nd quarter. Alabama gets a huge momentum boost as Javier Arenas takes Sakoda's punt 73 yards back for the touchdown, and now the Tide control the momentum.

Utah is able to put a time consuming drive together, however the drive stalls near mid-field and Utah will be forced to punt.

John Parker Wilson throws to a wide open Julio Jones for a huge gain of 30 yards, and now the Crimson Tide have it near midfield with just under a minute to play. The Utes hold on defense and will have an extra 15 yards to start the 3rd quarter thanks to a personal foul penalty.

Score: Utah 21, Alabama 10

6:42 2nd Quarter
Alabama kicker Leigh Tiffin hits a 52 yard field goal to put the Crimson Tide on the board and give some much needed momentum to his team.

Alabama comes up with its first big defensive play as Bobby Greenwood sacks Brian Johnson for a loss of 5. Utah is unable to convert a 3rd and 15, and Utah will have to punt. Louie Sakoda's punt goes into the endzone and Alabama will have it first and 10 on their own 20 yard line.

Alabama's momentum continues to build as Alabama has now picked up 2 consecutive first downs and have the ball near mid-field. Alabama continues to move the ball at will and have the ball on the Utah 30 yard line. Utah's defense comes up with a big sack on John Parker Wilson by Kepa Gaison, forcing a 3rd and long. After an incomlete pass and near interception by the Utes, Alabama kicker Leigh Tiffin misses a 47 yard attempt wide left.

Score: Utah 21, Alabama 3

End of First Quarter
Utah is having tremendous success through the air so far. Utah is also going with the no huddle offense, keeping Alabama's defense from making position rotations. Again, Utah marches down the field. Utah's execution has nearly been perfect so far. Brian Johnson completes an 18 yard touchdown pass to Bradon Godfrey for his 2nd TD pass of the first half. Johnson has already thrown for 139 yards.

Alabama is starting to find a rhythm offensively. Following a great kickoff return by Javier Arenas, Wilson completes 2 passes and the Tide now have the ball inside Utah's 20 yard line. Utah's defense comes up with another incredible play though, as DT Kenape Eliapo sacks John Parker Wilson for a loss of 11 on 3rd down.

Score: Utah 21, Alabama 0

5:58 First Quarter
On Alabama's 2nd play, QB John Parker Wilson was pressured and Robert Johnson intercepted the pass. Utah now has the ball on the Tide 32 yard line. A great defensive play by the Utes! Facing a 3rd and 10, Johnson completes a beautiful pass to David Reed for 30 yards and now Utah has a first down on the 2 yard line. 2 plays later, Matt Asiata takes the direct snap up the middle for the touchdown.

LG Mike Johnson looks like he rolled over his knee on Alabama's 2nd play of the drive. LT Andre Smith is already suspended for talking to an agent, so that makes the Tide really thin on the left side of the line. Hopefully the injury isn't severe and he can get back in this game quickly. Drew Davis will move in to LT, and freshman John Michael Boswell will play LG for the time being. Alabama picks up a much needed first down on a 10 yard scramble by John Parker Wilson. However, after a short run by Glen Coffee, the Utes pressure Wilson and Kepa Gaison sacks Wilson on 3rd down, forcing a punt.

Score: Utah 14, Alabama 0

11:02 First Quarter
Alabama will have a home-field like atmosphere with the vast majority of the fans in attendance. Utah won the coin toss and has elected to defer to the 2nd half. Utah's defense will be tested first.

Alabama goes to the playaction early for a first down on their 2nd play. Utah is putting 7-8 guys in the box and lining up with one on one coverage on the wide receivers. A big sack on 3rd down by Stevenson Sylvester forces an Alabama punt. Utah catches a big break early as Brent Casteel fumbles the punt, but it is recovered by teammate RJ Rice. Utah has had way to many fumbled punts this season.

Utah goes to a 5-wide receiver set on the first play from scrimmage, and QB Brian Johnson completes a 19 yard pass to Jeremy Brooks, followed on the next play by a 14 yard pass to Darrell Mack, followed by a 22 yard pass play to Bradon Godfrey. After the pass to Godfrey, Johnson completed a pass to Freddie Brown, and the next play Brent Casteel caught a 7 yard TD pass. Wow. The no huddle offense works to perfection for the Utes, as they drive 68 yards in just 5 plays to take the early lead.

Score: Utah 7, Alabama 0

My Prediction
The 75th anniversary of the Allstate Sugar Bowl will feature two of the nation's best defenses. Alabama is ranked 4th in total defense, while the Utes are 17th. Both teams are also in the top 12 in scoring defense. The question on everybody's mind going in to tonight's game: Can Utah, from the MWC, hang with the mighty Crimson Tide from the SEC?

If Utah can force Alabama into 3rd and long (more than 6 yards) situations, I like Utah's pass defense against Alabama QB John Parker Wilson. If Alabama RB Glen Coffee has a field day running the ball, it will be a very long night for the Utes.

I think Alabama will come out strong and strike first early in the game. Utah will look overmatched as the Tide take a 2 TD lead going into halftime, with nothing working offensively for the Utes. After halftime adjustments, Utah QB Brian Johnson will find his rhythm and lead the Utes back to tie the game. Louie Sakoda will make a 50+ yard field goal with little to no time left, giving Utah its 8th straight bowl win.

MY PREDICTION: Utah 17, Alabama 14. Let me know what you think. Post your predictions/questions in the comment board.

Keys to the Game for Utah

• Win the turnover battle
• Force Alabama into 3rd and long situations
• Play like you've been there before (after all, you have)

Keys to the Game for Alabama

• Control the line of scrimmage
• Force Utah into multiple 3 and outs
• Mix up the playcalling - try to catch Utah off guard with playaction passes

Utah Miscellaneous Stats

• Utah is eighth in the country in time of possession (32:39).
• Utah is ranked No. 12 in the nation in scoring defense (17.2), 14th in rushing defense (104.8), 17th in total defense (295.9) and 22nd in pass efficiency defense (108.7).
• With Boston College's bowl loss, Utah now holds the longest bowl winning streak (7). Utah wins during the streak came against Fresno State (1999), USC (2001), Southern Miss (2003), Pittsburgh (2005/2004 season), Georgia Tech (2005), Tulsa (2006) and Navy (2007).
• With two wins over ranked teams this season (then No. 11 TCU and No. 14 BYU), Utah improved to 6-0 all-time in games when both Utah and its opponent were nationally ranked (according to the AP). Utah beat also beat Oregon State and Michigan this year, but the win against Michigan came when Utah was unranked and Oregon State was only ranked in the coaches poll.
• Utah owns the longest win streak in the nation at 13 games. Utah and Alabama were tied at 13 before the Tide's loss to Florida on Dec. 6. Utah has won 20 of its last 21 games.
• Utah is 12-0 for the second time ever—tying the school mark set in 2004.
• Utah's No. 6 BCS ranking ties its best in school history—which is also the best BCS ranking ever by a team from a non-automatic qualifying conference. The Utes, who have been ranked sixth in the BCS standings for the last three weeks, rose to No. 6 in the final BCS standings of 2004. The 2004 Utes finished with a No. 4 A.P. ranking, which is the best in school history.
• Utah head coach Kyle Whittingham has lived in New Orleans twice. His father, Fred, played for the New Orleans Saints from 1967-68 (and part of 1969) during his seven-year NFL career. Kyle Whittingham also played in the Big Easy—spending the 1984 season with the USFL's New Orleans Breakers … Backup safety RJ Rice (Salt Lake City) spent part of his childhood in New Orleans, where he played in his very first football game, meaning he will start and end his football career in New Orleans.
• Utah senior Louie Sakoda is Utah's fourth all-time Consensus All-American and the first Ute to win first-team All-America honors at two different positions.
• Nine current Utes were on the 2004/2005 Fiesta Bowl team: Brent Casteel, WR; Brad Clifford, TE; Robert Conley, OL; Afa Garrigan, LB; Brian Johnson, QB; Paul Kruger, DL; John Peel, WR; Colt Sampson, TE; Ray Stowers, RB.
• A decal with the initials JBW will be displayed on the back of Utah's helmets at the bowl game in honor of Joseph B. Wirthlin, who played for Utah in the 1930s, and recently passed away. An Apostle in the Mormon Church, he was a big Ute football supporter his entire life.
• The Utes are 0-2 all-time in games televised by Fox Sports.

Alabama Miscellaneous Stats

• Alabama is tied for the Football Bowl Subdivision lead with eight non-off ensive touchdowns in 2008.
• Alabama is 9-4-1 (.679) all-time in domed stadiums.
• Alabama has made it a habit to jump out early on its opposition this season. The Tide has scored on its first possession of the game in seven of 13 games this season. The Crimson Tide had a 35-point first half at Arkansas and then a 31-point first half at Georgia.
• Alabama has converted a SEC-best 80 percent (8 of 10) - which is second in the NCAA - of its fourth down situations this season
• Alabama had four players selected to the 2008 AFCA Coaches' All-America Team. Senior center Antoine Caldwell, junior nose guard Terrence Cody, senior free safety Rashad Johnson and junior left tackle Andre Smith were selected to the 25-man team.
• The University of Alabama football team is making its NCAA-leading 56th bowl appearance. Alabama has played in more bowl games (56) and earned more bowl wins (31) than any team in college football history.

Related topics